Women in Aviation During WWII Allied and Axis Powers

Sabiha Gokcen First female combat pilot From Turkey Fought in the Dersim Rebellion in 1937 before WWII Set a precedent for female pilots during WWII

Night Witches Soviet all female combat pilot unit 586, 587 & 588th Night Bomber Regiments Over 30 of the Soviet women died in battle Planes held ~ 2 bombs so they had to fly multiple missions

Maria Raskova Commander of the 125th Guards Bomber Regiment Flew Petlyakov Pe-2s Died in combat January 4, 1943

Yekaterina Budanova One of only two female fighter aces Flew in Stalingrad Unknown number of kills (Approximately 11) Died in combat July 19, 1943

Lydia Litvyak Fighter Ace along with Budanova Approximately 12-14 kills in 66 missions Flew in Stalingrad Died at the age of 21 on August 1, 1943 during a mission

Spitfire Women Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) Over 160 women ferried aircraft to battle areas (mainly the Battle of Britain) At first they were required to wear skirts and stocking until uniforms were made for them

Pauline Gower Headed the ATA Later wrote a book about the women Died 1947

Amy Johnson Set aviation distance records in the 1930s During WWII belonged to the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) Died during a ferry operation January 5, 1941

Hanna Reitsch Flew for Nazi Germany for the Luftwaffe Was held as a POW Only woman awarded the Iron Cross First woman to fly a helicopter, rocket plane, and jet fighter Holds records for gliding, endurance and altitude